Page cutting device



INVENTOR.

i BY @Mw/L..

anu/muy 3mm Dona/d E. Petersen United States Patent() PAGE CUTTING DEVICE Donald E. Petersen, Columbus, Ind. i

Application December 3, 1957, Serial No. 700,409 s claims. (cl. soi-229) This invention relates to a page cutter and more particularly to a device for cutting pages in such a way as to make it possible to apply indexes in a very plain and visible position along the edge of a book, magazine or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide an indexer for the edge of a group of pages, the indexer being small and easily handled and capable of rapid and easy manipulation.

-An indexer constructed in accordance with my invention preferably has a base that is to be inserted between two of the group of pages and has a cutter that is movable in a barrel with the barrel carried by the base. The barrel is preferably tubular and has a notch in its side wall within which the pages are accepted. The cutter is movable through the barrel and has a cutting edge which easily, neatly and rapidly shears the page edges to form a notch inthe edge of the book. Automatically, the page beneath the base becomes exposed for easy vision and provides an area on which to have an index marking of any type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thumb operated cutter for indexing purposes, the cutter having a finger-guard to not only serve a protecting function for the ngers of the user, but also come to bear on the top of the pages that are being handled by my indexer.

vMy invention makes it possible to cut thumb indexes in unindexed books and without the necessity of resorting to large machines for this purpose. There are many advantages in a portable indexing device such as mine. It is inexpensive and operated very simply by hand. It allows easy indexing of books, notebooks, magazines and other publications for more convenient and efficient use.

Other objects and features of importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated forms of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my hand-operated portable thumb indexer showing itin use.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the indexer in Figure 1 showing it partially through one cycle of operation.

Figure 3 is an elevational side view of the indexer and a group of pages being handled by the indexer, this view omitting the thumb-guard of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the barrel which constitutes a part of the indexer.

In the accompanying drawing there is a publication that is made of a number of superimposed pages having a common outer edge 12 within which index notches 14 are being formed by'my indexer 16. The indexer is made of a base 18 that has an upper wall 20 and a lower Wall 22 spaced from each other at their outer ends and tapered toward each other at their inner ends 24. The base is adapted to be inserted between adjacent pages, the lowermost of which is to receive the index markingc I Barrel 26 is made of a tube that has a lateral flange 28 at its lower extremity. The flange is disposed between the plates 20 and 22 of base 18. A circular spacer 30 is "ice disposed between flange 38 and the inner surface of the top plate 20, holding the barrel firmly in place and at approximately right angles to the base. The upper end of the barrel is open in order to receive the cylindrical cutter 32. The lower cutting edge 34 of the cutter 32 is hollow ground or otherwise brought to an elcient cutting edge. In fact, it is within the purview of the invention to use a spherical cutter, or a cutter of some other shape. The tubular cutter 32 is especially well adapted for my use. It has a hand grip 36 at its upper extremity which protrudes outwardly of the barrel 26.

A page receiving notch 38 is formed in the side wall of barrel 26. The lower edge 40 of notch 38 is straight while the remaining edges 42 of the notch are semiellipsoidal, this shape automatically being formed by cutting into a cylinder at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. Edge 40 is a cutting edge and cooperates with the cutting edge 34 to shear or otherwise cut the edge portions of the individual pages resting on the top plate 20 of base 18. The actual operation is seen quite clearly in Figure 2.

A thumb guard and page holder 46 is mounted on barrel 26. This is made of a sleeve 48 that is slidable on the outer surface of barrel 26 and a lateral flange 50 which tapers upwardly slightly (Figure 2) and which prevents ones lingers from being struck or cut. At the same time, it rests gently on the uppermost page of the group of pages which are to be cut by my indexer.

In operation the indexer base is inserted into the publication to be indexed at the page to which the index is opened. All pages which the user desires to cut are placed on the top planar wall of the base. The edge of the cutter 32 is placed against the edge of the top one of these pages. The edge of this group of pages is beveled so that when depressed, the cutter 32 will cut progressively larger segments from succeeding pages. The last page has a piece removed of nearly semi-circular shape. When the pages are in this position, the operator places one hand on top of these pages and compresses them, thereby holding the indexer in place by its base 18.

The base may be coated or otherwise finished for maximum friction, as by applying rubber or an elastomeric plastic thereon. Care should be exercised in the selection of friction increasing material so that the pages will not be defaced. With fingers of this hand, the operator slides the compressor linger-guard 46 down the barrel 26 and presses the compressor down so that it holds the pages to be cut securely near the cutting edges and also covers the cutting edge to protect the operator from injury.

With his free hand, the user pushes the cutter down through the barrel cutting the desired pieces from the pages by pinching them between the cutter and the lower edge of the cut-out section or notch of the barrel. It is suggested that a twisting motion be used when operating the cutter since this promotes easier cutting. The indexer is then removed and a tab can be pasted on the page which was below it to indicate the subject matter. Cuttings fall into lower section of the barrell where they will not interfere with the next operation of the indexer. The cutter is not long enough to allow the cutting edge 34 to strike the bottom plate 22 upon the completion of a cut.

Spacer 30 is slipped over the barrel before it is assembled with base 18 and this not only helps to hold the barrel in place but allows the base to be thick enough for strength and provides a space for cuttings. Spacer 30 could be eliminated as could the page compresser and thumb guard 46. A use of the invention with the elimination of these parts is sh-own in Figure 3.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the inventiongas claimed. p

What is claimed'asnew is kas follows: p

1. An indexer -for publications or the like which have superimposed pages, lsaid indexer comprising a base adapted to be inserted between two adjacent pages, a barrel c arried by said base and having a laterally opening notch with cutting edge thereon, a cutter reciprocably car- Aried by said barrel and having a cutting-edge coacting with the rst mentioned cutting edge for removing portions of adjacent pages that are located on said base and project into said notch, and a 'combination page cornpressor -and finger-guard on said barrel and adapted to contact the top page of the group of pages that are on said base.

f2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said base is tapered so that said cutter and said barrel are arranged at an` angle thereto when the base is inserted between confronting pages.

3. An indexing device for the pages of a group of pages, said indexing device comprising a barrel that has a cutting edge, a cutter that has a cutting edge cooperable with the barrel cutting edge for shearing at least some of said pages, and a combination compressor and vguard carried by said barrel and adapted to rest on the uppermost page ofthe group of pages which are cut by said cutting edges.

4. In an indexer for the edge of a group of pages wherein a notch is to be formed to accommodate an index marker, the combination of a base which has a part `adapted to be inserted between adjacent pages and to support a group of pages whichare to be notched, a vbarrel' `that has a tapered notch in the side wall thereof which is adapted to receive said group of pages with the extremities of the pages staggered, and a cutter movable in said barrel and having acuttng edge coacting with the edges of said notch to sever the pages that are disposed in said notch by moving said cutter with respect to said barrel, said cutter freely rotatable in said barrel so that the cutter may be rotated while it is being axially moved in the barrel thereby facilitating the severance of the pages in said notch. Y Y

5. In an indexer for the edge of a group of pages wherein a notch is'to be formed to laccommodate an index markeruthe combination of a base which has ,a part adapted to be inserted between adjacent pages and to support a group of "pages which Aare to be notched, a barrel that has a tapered notch in the side Wall thereof which is adapted to receive said group of pages with the extremities of the pages staggered, a cutter movable in said barrel and having a cutting edge coacting lwith-the edgesl of said notch to sever the pages that are disposed in said notch by moving said cutter with respect to said barrel, said cutter freely rotatable in said barrel so that the cutter may be rotated while it is being axially moved in the barrel thereby facilitating the severance of the pages in said notch, a combination guard for the fingers kof ythe user and page compressor movably disposed on said barrel and adapted to contact the uppermost'page of the group of pages located in said notches of said barrel.

vReferences Cited 'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,764,828 comm June 17, 1930 2,078,656 Erickson Apr. 27, 1937 2,473,604 Muth June 2l, 1949 2,620,874 chase Dec. 9, 1952 

